An enraged herd of Social Media stampeded all over Urban Outfitters after it sold what appeared to be Kent State University sweatshirts with blood drops on them.
On May 4, 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen were ordered to shoot into the crowd of Vietnam War protestors at Kent State, killing four college students in one of the most notorious instances of violence against young people in American history.
Urban Outfitters apparently did not find selling a “vintage” Kent State sweatshirt splattered with blood problematic. At least not until they realized the outrage they caused.
The sweatshirt was a one-of-one item being sold for $129, with the phrase, “We only have one, so get it or regret it!” written in its description.
Rightfully indignant brain trust at Kent State released a statement articulating their outrage and disgust:
We take great offense to a company using our pain for their publicity and profit. This item is beyond poor taste and trivializes a loss of life that still hurts the Kent State community today.
Urban Outfitters ended up succumbing to the ferocity of the backlash Monday morning, releasing the following statement on their Twitter post:
Urban Outfitters sincerely apologizes for any offense our Vintage Kent State Sweatshirt may have caused. It was never our intention to allude to the tragic events that took place at Kent State in 1970 and we are extremely saddened that this item was perceived as such. The one-of-a-kind item was purchased as part of our sun-faded vintage collection. There is no blood on this shirt nor has this item been altered in any way. The red stains are discoloration from the original shade of the shirt and the holes are from natural wear and fray. Again, we deeply regret that this item was perceived negatively and we have removed it immediately from our website to avoid further upset.
Even though executives assured the frazzled and repulsed public that they’ve removed the Kent State sweatshirts from its site, the item is still available for sale on Ebay.
The public, on the other hand, stomped all over Urban Outfitter with reckless abandon, including some hideous memes mocking the fashion designer. Take a look at what they have to say:
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